Three resign from Burleson chamber board of directors

Jun 22, 2012 (Cleburne Times-Review - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) --
Three elected Johnson County officials removed themselves from the Burleson Area Chamber of Commerce board of directors on Wednesday all citing similar reasons for their resignations.

Their resignations come within two weeks of the chamber appointing Kerry Montgomery as interim president of the chamber, temporarily running the chamber until the board selects a new president, which could take three to six months.

It's unclear if their Wednesday resignations were planned or coincidence, but they each submitted their reasons, with Porter and Alford citing similar statements.

Alford explained he stepped down because he felt he couldn't commit as much time as he should as a board member.

He said he would rather give his seat to someone who can fulfill the commitment the position requires.

"It's about a six to eight hour a week commitment and I just don't have that kind of time to give up while the chamber goes through its transition period," he said.

Porter also said his job at the tax office takes priority and that he, too, cannot commit to the time requirement needed at the chamber.

"My first priority and responsibility is the tax office and unfortunately it's simply a matter of not having the extra time to commit to the chamber as a director that the position deserves. It has been an honor and I appreciate the opportunity to have served as a director on the board," Porter said in an email. "The Burleson Chamber of Commerce is truly blessed to have such a great group of citizens and business leaders in the community that make up the board and its membership."
Though they are resigning, Porter and Alford have both stated that they are leaving the chamber on good terms.

"As a member, I will continue to support the chamber and its efforts every way I can," Porter said.

Green could not be reached.

In a previous interview, Alison Bradham, the chamber's board chair, said she doesn't foresee any snags in regular chamber operations during its transition period.

"All of the chamber's operations will fall on Kerry, but she's familiar with everything that needs to get done," Bradham said.

The chamber hasn't slowed down at all, she said.

The chamber will look to hire a permanent president soon, but the search could take anywhere from 90 to 180 days, Bradham said.

Former Chamber President Dan-O Strong resigned earlier this month, saying it was time to move on from the chamber.

His resignation was met with much grief from community leaders, but Strong said it was the right move for the chamber and the community.